Combination-lock for electric-lamp fixtures and the like.



G. I. SILBBRT.

COMBINATION LOOK FOR ELECTRIC LAMPTIXTURES AND THE LIKE.

v APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12, 1911.

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Z5? Meflfof li'zwflzf I. Dilbert M y Patented July 30, 1912.

L n r "(C G. I. SILBERT. COMBINATION LOOK FOR ELEGTBIG LAMP PIXTUB'ESZQND THE LIKE. APPLIOATIOK IIL'ED SEPT. 12, 1911.

1,034,15 1. Patented July 30, 1912.

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UNITED STATES EAE'ENT. OFFICE.

GUS'IAF I. SILBER'I, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY. MESNE ASSIGNMENT S, TO CHI-ILL ELECTRIC COMPANY, CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

COMBINATION-LOCK FOR ELECTRIC LAMP FIXTURES AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAF I. SILBERT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combination-Locks for Electric-Lamp Fixtures and the Like; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in combination locks for incandescent lamps, and for other likeseparable electric connections, of the general type shown in my prior application for U. S. Letters Patent, Serial No. 572,482, filed July 18, 1910. v

In the construction shown in my afore' said application the lamp base and socket therefor were provided one with a series of tumblers having notches and the other with one or more projections, adapted 'by'a prearranged rotative movement of the tumblers, to be brought into line wit-h said notches to permit the lamp to be withdrawn from the socket or inserted thereinto in the lineot its axis. I

In the present construct-ion I have provided a combination lock mechanism which is designed to releasablylock to the lamp base or to an adapter, the screw threaded shell which is screwed into the standard socket, and arranged that when the shell is released from the lamp base or the adapter, the lamp or adapter tunns freely in.

said shell so that the lamp may not be removed from its socket by rotation of the .lamp/ When said shell is locked to the lamp or adapter base it may be turned out of its socket in the same manner as anordinary lamp or adapter.

Among the. objects of the invention is to provide a combination lock for such lamps that may be employed with ordinary or standard sockets.

' A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and economical arrangement for releasably locking a lamp or adapter base to the screw threaded shell that cooperate with the standard S Cket.

Other objects of the invention are to'simplify and improve combination lock structures for this and like, purposes.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Patented. July so, 1912.

In the drawings Figure I is an axial sec- 7 tion, with parts in elevation, of an'adapter and lamp therein, equipped with my improved lock; Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an edge elevation of a ring and yielding dog carried thereby, constituting a part of a clicking arrangement. Figs. 5 and 6 are transverse sections on lines 5-5 and 66, respectively, Fig. 1. Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are plan views of the three tumblers embodied in the lock. Fig. 10 is a spacing the tumblers apart. Fig. 11' is a side elevation of a cup to receive the tumbler elements of the lock. Fig. 12 is a plan View ofsaid cup. Fig. 13 is a plan view of .the adapter sleeve, with the other parts removed therefrom. Fig. 14 is a similar view to Fig. 1, showing the adaptation of my improvements direct to the base of an incandescent lamp. Fig. 15 is a plan view of the plate or ring employed in the construction shown in Fig. 14 to carry the spring dog of-the clicking device. Fig. 16 1s a detaiil illustrating the manner of producing finiction between the lamp base :and the shell .Otf

plan views of one of the spacing rings tor lamp which-have normal relative rotation,

so that the lamp thus adjusted may be used in the manner of an ordinary lamp.

In the following description of .my invention I will first refer to the embodimenst thereof in the adapterillustrated in Figs. 1 to 13, inclusive. As shown in Fig. 1, 120 designates the usual screw threaded base of an incandescent lamp which is .fitted in and has screw threaded engagement with the screw threaded portion 121,- of .an adapter sleeve. Iihe said adapter sleeve has an extension portion-122 which terminates in a cylindrical portion 123 of reduced diameter. The said extension of the adapter sleeve partially houses the usual :poroelarin or in- 'sulating body 125 of the plug por'tion of the adapter, which body is herein shown as made of two parts that are clamped to ether between nuts 126 and 127 of a meta belt- 128 which extendsaxially through the insulating body. The said bolt constitutes the central contact or terminal of the adapter, and for'this purpose extends into a metal sleeve 129, WhlCh has a contact with the central terminal 130 of the lamp. Said sleeve 129 is partially contained in a recess 131 in the lower end of the insulating body. The two part insulating portion 125 is provided between its ends with an annular recess 132 to receive the reduced cylindrical portion 123 of the adapter shell, thereby providing an offset 133 to receive the corresponding oflset portion 134 of the extension of the adapter sleeve. The said reduced cylindrical portion 123 is made shorter than the recess 132, for a purpose hereinafter described.

Surrounding the reduced cylindrical portion 123 of the adapter sleeve and located partially within the recess 132 is a metal cup 135 (Figs. 11 and'12) comprising an outer cylindrical shell 136 having a bottom wall 138, and provided cent-rally Within the shell with an upstanding annular flange 139. 141 designates the screw threaded shell of the plug which is adapted for screw threaded engagement with a standard Edison socket. The lower margin of said shell loosely surrounds the plain or non-screwt-hreaded portion of the adapter sleeve, and said shell fits near its upper end closely about the flange 137 of the cup 135 and is interlocked thereto at 145 by providing said flange with a notch 146 (Fig. 12) and forcing the metal of the shell thereinto. The extreme upper end of the shell is fornied at 146. over the margin of the ring 147 which fits partially into the recess 132, the purpose of which ring will be hereinafter described. The reduced cylindrical portion 123 of the adapter sleeve fits and turns loosely within the annular flange or the tube portion 139 of the cup 135, but is adapted, by the combination lock arrangement herein shown. to be locked to the cup and therethrough to the screw threaded shell 141, so that the said shell may be'rotated by force applied through the adapter sleeve.

Contained within the cup 135 are three tumblers 150, 151 and 152, shown separately in Figs. 7, 8, and 9. Said tumblers are of ring shape and are separated from each other by the spacing rings 153, also shown separately in Fig. 10. The upper tumbler 152 constitutes the controlling tumbler of the lock and is fixed to and rotates with the reduced cylindrical portion 123 of the adapter sleeve. Said tumbler 152 is shown in Fig. 1 as confined between an exterior shoulder on said reduced cylindrical portion of the adapter sleeve and a. ratchet ring 155',

oven which latter the top margin of the reduced cylindrical ortion 123 is formed, as shown in Fig. 1. 0th the upper or controlling tumbler and the ratchet ring are interlocked to the cylindrical terminal of the adapter sleeve through the medium of internal notches therein adapted for en agement with a pressed out lug 156 on sai terminal, best shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

The lower tumblers 150 and 151 fit and rotate loosely on the tubular flange 139 of the cup 135'. The intermediate tumbler 151 is formed with oppositely disposed curved slots 158, (Figs. 6 and 8) and the lower tumbler 150 is provided with an upturned lug 159 that engages one otthe slots 158, while the upper tumbler 152 is provided with a down turned lug 160. which engages into the other curved slot 158 of the intermediate tumbler. The tumblers 150. 151 and 152 are provided with peripheral notches 162, 163 and 164 which, when brought into register with each other, are engaged by the inner biting edge of a dog 166, that is suitably hinged to the cylindrical shell of the cup 135 opposite an opening in said shell, and is pressed inwardly for an engagement with said tumblers by means of a spring 168, as best shown in Figs. 5 and 11; thespring lying outside of said cylindrical shell and being attached thereto. When the notches of the tumblers are out of line with each other the dog rides on the smooth peripheral portions of the tumblers. By a predetermined to and fro rotative movement of said tumblers, transmitted thereto by the adapter sleeve, the lower tumblers are, through the medium of the lugs 159 and 160 and the slots 158, turned to bring the notches of all tumblers into register with the biting edge of the dog 166. The said biting edge of the dog enters said notches at such an angle that when the tumblers are set and the adapter sleeve is turned in one direction it operates through the dog 166 and the cup 135 to positively rotate the screw threaded shell 141 of the adapter plug, and this direction of rotation is the direction in which the said screw threaded shell is turned out of the socket. When the adapter sleeve is turned in the other direction the notched portions of the tumblers are turned away from the dog. so that the adapter sleeve is released from the screw threaded shell 141.

In order to enable the plug of the adapter to be screwed into a socket, notwithstanding the relative rotation that exists between the plug shell 141 and the adapter sleeve, I have made the recess 132. which receives the combination lock mechanism. longer than the cylindrical portion 123 of the adapter sleeve, thereby permitting the said adapter sleeve to have movement relatively to the cup 135 in the direction of the axis of the steam Y adapter sleeve'is provided with oppositely arranged notches 17 0,a's best shown in Figs. 1' and 13, and the bottom wall of the cup is provided with downturned lugs 171, 171 (Figs. 1, -11and 12) arranged to register with said notches. Therefore, when the adapter sleeve is forced upward to bring the lugs 171 into en agement with the notches 170, there is a orded an interlocking rot-ative connection between the adapter sleeve and cup, which ermits the plug to ugs ' be turned inwardly into -1ts socket. The

171 are arranged at such an inclination to the bottom wall of the cup as to thus aiford an interlocking connection between the adapter sleeve and the cup in one direction of rotation only of said sleeve, so that when the adapter sleeve and the lamp carried thereby are turned in the other direction, said adapter sleeve will rotate without transmitting motion to the cup and will therefore not turn the adapter plug out of its socket. The said offset portion 134 of the adapter sleeve is normally held away from the cup to disengage the lugs 171 from the notches 170 by means of a spiral expansion spring 175 that surrounds the bolt 128 and is interposed between the nut 127 on said bolt and the terminal sleeve 129, as best shown in Fig. 1.

The ring 147 before referred to, at the upper end of the shell 141 of. the adapter plug carries on its under surface a spring 178 which is provided with a rounded end portion or dog 1.79 that is adapted to engage the teeth 180 of the ratchet ring or disk 155, so that when said ring is rotated with the adapter sleeve the rounded end of the spring rides over the teeth to produce a clicking noise, by which the person setting the combination may determine the range of angular movement to be imparted to the controlling tumbler 152, to properly set the combination. In order to change the combination the said ring or disk 147 is provided with a series of spaced openings 182 through any one of which a screw 183 may be passed to non rotatively'lock said disk 147 to the cup 135, the lower end of said screw engaging a notch1 84 in the flange 137 of said cup. Therefore by removing said screw 183 and turning the ring 147 in one direction or the other and engaging the screw with a new opening 182, the spring 178 will be engaged with the ratchet ring in a manner to change the combination of ,the lock. The said ratchet ring is provided at one point in its periphery with a plain orunnotched portion 186 over which the spring 178 rides without producing a clicking noise, so as to enable the person operating the lock to start the operation of setting the combination properly. Inlieu of the clicking device I may-provide the relativel 'rotative parts with indicator figures an an indicator point, as shown in my aforesaid prior a plication.

In order to aflor a frictional engagement of the screw-threaded portion 121 of the adapter sleeve with the base of the lamp to revent said lamp base from turning too rea ily in the sleeve, I may provide a spring 190, shownin Figs. 1 and 16, which lies in vthe external screw-thread of the adapter sleeve, and is provided with :1 turned in portion 191 which extends through anopening in said sleeve for light frictional engagement with the lamp base. In a generally similar manner I may provide a friction spring 193 which is attached to the shell of the cup 135 and extends obliquely outwardly therefrom and through an opening in the shell 141, with its free end adapt- 'ed to lightly engage the screw-threaded shell of the standard socket in which the adapter plug is inserted. The latter con struction is adaptable, and is shown as applied, to the shell 205 of the lamp base '(Fig. 14). Such frictional springs, or other means of producing friction between the lamp base and the adapter sleeve and between the plug shell and the socket insures the proper operation of the lock in the event, that for any reason, the tumbler members may not-turn upbn themselves as readily as they should.

The spacing rings 153 are preferably interlocked to the cup to avoid tendency of said rings being dragged around by some of the tumblers and imparting unintentional movement to other tumblers. This may be accomplished by providing the spacing rings with internal lugs 195 to engage a notch 196 in said cylindrical flange of the 'cup, as shown in Figs. 10 and 12.

The screw threaded portion of the adapter sleeve is inclosed by a metal shell 195 havingan insulating lining. Said shell is mounted-on a ring 196 that loosely surrounds the sleeve and is confined between a shoulder 197 on said sleeve-and a band 198 of insulating material which surrounds the sleeve and is held from rising by an annular shoulder or bead 1991 The said shell is therefore mounted to turnfreely about the screw threaded portion of the adapter sleeve so as to thereby avoid the adapter sleeve being turned or rotated to manipulate the combination look by grasping said shell.

In the construction shown in Figs. 14, 15 and 17, my improvements are shown as applied to and embrace permanent parts of the base of the lamp structure. In this construction, the tumblers, the spacing rings,

' tion shown in Figs. 1 and 18. The said held separated sleeve also embraces the offset portion 202 which fits over the end of the lamp bulb, being separated therefrom by a sheet of insulatingmaterial 203. The said offset portion 202 is provided with the notches 170 which. cooperate with the lugs 171 of the cup 135. The screw threaded shell 205 loosely surrounds the sleeve 200 and is interlocked with the cup 135 in the manner before described. The ring 207 corresponding to the ring 147 of the construction shown in Fig. 1, and; which carries the that cooperates with 'theclicking ring 155, is connected to-the she ll 205 in the same general manner as the like ring shown in the previously described construct-ion. Said ring 207 is provided on its inner margin with lugs 208 thz.t are folded upon and have vinterfitting. engagement with the. notches 209 in the'porcelain or other insulating body 210 of the lamp base. The said ring 207 is provided with a series of apertures 211 (Fig. 15) which cooperate with the screw 212, in

the same manner as the screw 188 cooper-- ates-with the apertures 182 of the ring 147, previouslydescribed, to hold the ring 207 in-place and provides means to change the combination of the lock. The insulating body 210 is provided with a reduced portion 215, which enters the hollow cylindrical terminal 201 of the shell 200 and is axially movable relatively to said cylindrical portion to permit the lugs 171 of the cup 135 fixed The said parts are normally by a. spring 216 contained recess 217 in said' reduced sleeve or shell.

within an axial portion 215 of said insulating body, and bearing atone end against the bottom of said recess 217 at its other end against the insulating sheet at the end of the bulb.

The operation of the construction shown in Fig. 14 is in general the same as shown in. Fig. 1, with the exception that the screwthreaded shell 205 of the construction shown in Fi 14 (and corres ondin with the D 9 p D screw-threaded shell 141 of the construction shown in Fig. 1) constitutes a permanent part of the lamp base, and is screw-threaded to the standard socket the same as an ordinary lamp base. If it be desired to use the lamp shown in Fig. 14 as an ordinary lamp, that is to say by omitting the combination lock features, I may provide the sleeve 200 with a notch 220 to receivev a bent or sheared in portion of the shell 205, as indicated by the dotted lines 221 on Fig. 14. The relaspring 178 tive positions of the notch and sheared in portions of the sleeve 200 and the shell 205 may be reversed, if desired, or the parts may be otherwise locked from relative rotation.

, vide said, shells with other suitable fastening means whereby to fasten the fixtures in sockets.

Iclaim as my invention:

1. A locking device fixture and the like comprisin a sleeve for connection with the lamp, a siell mounted on and adapted to normally rotate freely with respect to said .sleeve, with means whereby the shell may sleeve to be rotated therethrough in one direction, and means to lock the shell to said sleeve to cause the shell to rotate with the sleeve in the opposite direction.

2. A locking device for an electric lamp fixture and the like comprising a sleeve for connection with the lamp, a shell mounted on and adapted to normally rotate freely with respect to said sleeve, with means whereby the shell may be connected to the sleeve to be rotated therethrough'in one direction, and a combination lock between the shell and the sleeve to lock the shell to he sleeve to rotate therewith in the other direction, I

3. A locking device for an electric lamp fixture and the like, comprising a sleeve for connection with the lamp, a shell mounted to normally rotate freely with respect to said sleeve, means afiording an interlocking connection between the shell and the sleeve to rotate the shell inone direction to turn the shell intoa socket and other means for locking said shell to the sleeve to rotate the shell in the other direction to turn the shell out of the socket.

' 4. A locking device for an electric lamp fixture and the like, comprising a sleeve for connection with the lamp, a shell mounted to normally rotate freely with respect to the sleeve, and having movement endwise of and relatively to the sleeve, a combination lockbetween the shell and'the sleeve for locking the shell to rotate with the sleeve in one direction, and means operated upon relative endwise movement of the shell and sleeve to interlock said parts together to cause the shell to rotatewith the sleeve in the other direction.

' 5. A locking device for an electric lamp foran electric lamp be connected to the connection with the lam a to normally rotate free y with respect to:

fixture and the like, comprisin a sleeve for shell mounted the sleeve, and having'movement endwise of and relatively to the sleeve, interlocking means fixedly connected to the sleeve and shell and adapted, by relative endwise moverotate with the sleeve in one direction.

6. A combinationlocking deviccfor an electric lamp fixture and the like comprisin a sleeve for connection with the lamp, sald sleeve having an end of reduced diameter, a cup loosely surrounding said re-' duced portion of the sleeve and being movable endwise of and relatively to the sleeve, a shell for engagement with the socket fixture surrounding the cup and interlocking non-rotatively thereto, combination lock elements carried by the sleeve and cup to lock the shell to rotate with the sleeve in one direction, and interacting lugs and notches on the cup and sleeve, adapted, by relative endwise movement of thesleeve and cup to lock he shell to rotate with the sleeve in the other direction.

7. A combination locking device for an electric lamp fixture and the like, comprising a sleeve for connection with the lamp, said sleeve having an end of reduced diameter, a cup loosely surrounding said reduced portion of the sleeve and being movable endwise of and relatively to the sleeve, a shell for engagement with the socket fixture surrounding the cup and interlocking non-rotatively thereto, combination lock elements carried by the sleeve and cup to lock the shell to rotate with the sleeve in one direction, interacting lugs and notches on the cup and sleeve, adapted, by relative endwise movement of the sleeve and cup to lock the shell to rotate with the sleeve in the other direction, and a spring interposed between the sleeve and the shell to normally hold the interlocking lugs andnotches separated.

8. A combination locking device for an electric lamp fixture and the like comprising a sleeve for connection onto the lamp and having a reduced outer end portion, a cup loosely surrounding the reduced portion of the sleeve and movable endwise of and relatively to the sleeve, a shell for engage ment with a socket fixture surrounding the cup and non-rotatively interlocking thereto, a notched tumbler fixed to and rotating with said reduced end of the sleeve, other notched tumblers loosely rotative within the cup and controlled by the first mentioned tumbler, a dog carried by the cup for engagement with the notches of said tumblers for locking the shell to rotate with the sleeve inone direction, and means independent to the tumblers for causing the shell to rotate with the sleeve in the other direction.

9. A combination locking device for an electric lamp fixture and the like comprising a sleeve for connection to the lamp, a shell for engagement with a socket fixture surrounding the sleeve, combination lock elements in the annular space between the shell and the sleeve to lock the shell to the sleeve,

a toothed member fixed to and rotated by the sleeve, and a spring device carried by aart which is rotative with said shell and ri ing over the teeth of said member, for V the purpose set forth.

10. A combination locking device for an electric lamp fixture and the like comprising a sleeve for connection to the lamp, a shell for engagement with the socket fixture and loosely surrounding. the sleeve, combination lock elements between the said sleeve and shell to lock the sleeve to the shell in one direction, means independent to the tumblers for causing the shell to rotate with the sleeve in the other direction,. a toothed member fixed to and rotated bysaid sleeve, a member carried by said shell and having means to non-rotatively interlock it to the shell, said. means being constructed to prevent angular adjustment of said member, and a spring device carried by the latter member and adapted to engage the teeth of said toothed member.

11. In a combination lock for electric lamp fixtures and the like, the combination with a screw-threaded shell adapted to enter and have screw-threaded engagement with a socket, of a sleeve for connection with a ,lamp, surrounded by and rotative relatively to the shell, combination lock elements between the said sleeve and shell adapted to lock the shell to the sleeve in one direction of rotation ofthe sleeve, and means affording frictional engagement between said shell and the socket. 7

12. In a combination lock for electric lamp fixtures and the like, the combination with a screw-threaded shelladapted to enter and have screw-threaded engagement with a socket of a sleeve for connection with'a lamp said sleeve and shell adapted to lock the shell to the sleeve'in one direct-ion of rotation of I the sleeve, a' spring attached to said shell its surrounded by and rotative relatively to the i shell, combination lock elements between the f 7 extension of the adapter sleeve to lock the respect thereto, and combination lock elements bet-ween said shell and said reduced shell to rotate withflthe sleeve-in one direction of rotation of the latter.

. the outside of the screw-threaded portion of the adapter sleeve provided with an inturned portion which extends inwardly through an opening in said sleeve to lightly engage the lamp base.

15. An adapter and combination lock for electric lamp fixtures and the like, comprising an adapter sleeve having a screw-threaded portion for engagement with the base of an electric lamp and provided with a reduced extension, a shell surrounding said extension and normally free to rotate with respect thereto, combination lock elements between said shell and said reduced extension adapted to lock the shell to rotate with threaded portion of the adapter sleeve and I said reduced extension of the adapter sleeve in one direction of rotation of the latter, ,a

shell loosely surrounding the said screwattached to said sleeve by means permitting it to freely rotate relatively to the sleeve.

16. In a combination lock for electric lamp fixtures and the like, the combination with a sleeve adapted for connection to a lamp, a cup surrounding said sleeve and normally free to rotate thereon, a shell surrounding and fixed to said cup comprising an outer shell, a bottom wall and an inner annular flange, the latter surrounding said sleeve, a controlling tumbler fixed to said sleeve above said cup, other tumblers betweenthe outer shell of said cup and said annular flange and having lug and slot connection with each other and the E controlling tumbler, said tumblers being provided with peripheral notches adapted to be i brought into register with each other, and a- I dog carried by the cup for engagement with said notches when in register to lock the cup torotate with the sleeve in one direction of rotation of the latter.

17. In a combination lock for electric lamp fixtures and the like, the combination with a sleeve adapted for connection to a lamp, a cup surrounding said sleeve and normally free to rot-ate thereon, a shell sur rounding and fixed to said cup, the cup comprising an outer shell, a bottom wall and an inner annular flange, the latter surround. ing said sleeve, a controlling tumbler fixed to said sleeve above said cup, other tumblers between the outer shellofsaid cup and said annular flange and having lug and slot connectionswith each other and the controlling tumbler, said tumblers being provided with peripheral notches adapted tobe brought into register with each other, a dog carried by the cup for engagement with said notches when in register to lock the cup to rotate with the sleeve in one direction of rotationof the latter, and spacing rings between said tumblers, non-rotatively fixed to said inner annular flange of the cup.

18. In a combination lock for electric lamp fixtures and the like, the combination with a sleeve adapted for connection to a lamp and a shell surroundingsaid sleeve and rotative relatively thereto, of a combination lock device for locking the sleeve to said shell, and means for permanently interlocking said sleeve to said shell, for the purpose set forth.

19. A locking device for an electric lamp fixture and'the like comprising a sleeve for connection with a lamp and provided with a'reduced portion, a shell. for engagement with a socket mounted on and normally free to rotate relatively to said sleeve, and combination lock elements in the space between the shell and the reduced portion of the sleeve, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 25th day or August, A. D. 1911.

I GUSTAF I; SILBERTL Witnesses GEO. A. MEYER, ANDREW ENGSTROM. 

